I have a Samsung HW-Q930D soundbar (paired with a Samsung QN90C TV) that has worked flawlessly since October 2024. In January 2026, after being unplugged for a few days, it returned in a "zombie" state. The bar is in perfect physical condition, nobody used it, but...
The bar is permanently 'Offline' in the SmartThings app, though it shows up on the TV via eARC. It won't pair with the subwoofer or satellite speakers, but it will play the sound correctly through the bar.
The LED on the sub stays blue indefinitely, which, according to the manual, is connected to the soundbar - but the subwoofer doesn't woof.
As I switch the options from eArc to HDMI, etc, the Bluetooth display message is stuck on "BT" and refuses to enter "BT Ready" or "BT Pairing" modes.
Attempting a factory reset (Vol+ / Vol-) does nothing, suggesting the kernel is hung before it can even poll the physical buttons.
I called Samsung, and for 40 minutes we stayed on a video call where we tried the steps above, and I was asked to take the soundbar to an authorized shop.
The Absurdity: The Samsung authorized shop quoted me 125% of the retail price for the repair. More than the price of a brand-new unit. The dealership report:
"The device is not pairing with other devices. It is necessary to replace the main board, Wi-Fi and BT module, and the drive.
Main Board (AH94-03983S)
Wi-Fi/BT Module (BN59-01333A)
AMP/Drive Board (AH94-00021T)."
The soundbar still outputs sound via eARC! Why would they need to replace the AMP board (AH94-00021T) if the speakers are working?
Am I going crazy, or does this look like a "blanket replacement" strategy to avoid diagnosing a firmware corruption?
Are they attempting to charge me for something that did not need fixing?
Samsung VP Jim Kiczek publicly admitted that bad updates were bricking these units and promised free repairs regardless of warranty status. Yet, is my local support playing dumb and treating it as a paid-out-of-warranty repair?
Is 14 months an OK period where the consumer of their premium line, high-end, "Flagship-lite" soundboards should expect the Main Board, the Wireless Module, and the AMP/Drive Board to FAIL?
